Machine



(ModeL) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

L. F. DE VOE. WASHING MACHINE.

No. 244,198. Patented Ju1y 12,1 88 1.

N. PETERS, Phulwulho n ner. Wuhi nnnnnn C.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(ModeL) L. F. DE VOE. WASHING MAGHINE}.

. Patented July 12,1881.-

Inventor.

N PETERS. Puma-Lithographer, Washington D. C-

To all whom it may concern UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS F. DE Von, OF OHRISMAN, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM B. MOORHEAD, or SAME PLAoE.

WASHING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATIbN forming partof Letters Patent No. 244,198, dated July 12, 1881.

Application filed Juno 7, 1881.

Be it known that I, LOUIS F. DE VOE, of Ghrisman, in the county of Edgar and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Washing-Machines and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to rotary washing-machines.

It consists of certain details oi'construction, which are described in connection with the I general form of the machine referred to, but

transverse central section, of the cylinder.

In these figures Arepresents a rectangular boiler having 7 preferably a rounded cover, B. This is made of any suitable material, and is provided with a suitable cock for drawing off the water. It is adapted to hold the water required to wash the clothing, and to receive the necessary heat to bringthe water to proper temperature. The sides of the cover B may be made of wood, the periphery of the top being of 'tin or other suitable sheet metal nailed or screwed to the wood with a paint-joint. The lower edge of the cover is provided with a flange, a, to fit closely within the boiler or box, and a flange or head, I), which bears on the edge of the said boiler or box. The sides of the boiler or box itself may be made of wood, if preferred, with strips of tin or copper nailed upon the edges, the joints being painted here also, for necessary tightness. In this case bearings for the journals of the wheel or cylin- (ler should be riveted to the wood, as shown at c.

The cylinder which is to contain the clothing to be washed is shown at C. It is mounted upon journals fixed centrally to the sides, as shown at d d, a crank, 6, being attached to one. This cylinder is provided with openings in the periphery for the admission of the water, as the cylinder revolves in the boiler, the object of this being that hot water shall be taken up in the revolution of the cylinder and caused to percolate toward the center; but the construction of these openings is materially (ModeL) improved for two purposes. The first is to avoid outside buckets, and the second is to permit the cylinder to be revolved effectively in either direction.. For these purposesthe openings are out in the periphery in rectangular form from side to side, and are provided with guards f, placed a little within the peripheral shell, and extending across from side to side, directly over the rectangular opening. The guard is inclined each way from a line central to the opening down toward the edges, and terminates on the same radial plane, or approximately so, with the edge of the opening, but a little above or within, so as to leave an orifice for the entranceof the water. When the lower part of the cylinder is immersed in water it rises up against the doubly-inclined guard, and the latter, when the cylinder is revolved on its axis, directs the water into the orifice which faces the direction in which the opening is moving. Manifestly the action is the same whichever way the cylinderb'e turned, and this action throws the water upon the outside of the mass of clothing within the cylinder.

It will be readily understood that the rapidity and thoroughness of the washing must depend upon the thoroughness with which the water is caused to pass through the mass of clothing within the case. The means heretofore described provide for throwing the water upon one side only of the clothing-namely, the outside-as it lies in the cylinder. I have provided means for directing the water upon the clothing within the mass also. This is accomplished bymeans hereinafter described.

Within the cylinder I place a tube, D, ar-.

ranged axiallyand fixed to the sides. It is perforated at the central part, or throughout its entire length, to permit the escape of Water to the center and upon the clothes. conducted to this tubular distributer by means of channels h, arranged radially, or nearly so, and extending from the periphery to the central tube, and communicating therewith. An opening, it leads from each channel to the outside, and on the outside, over each opening i, is a flat bucket, k. It will be observed that these openings and buckets are as near as possible to the periphery. Further, the buckets and channels on one sideof the cylinder open Water is r in one direction, while those on the opposite side open in the other. This causes those on one side to take up water and direct it to the tube at the center when the cylinder turns in one direction while the other side is inoperative, the other side acting when the cylinder turns in the opposite direction. By means of this construction the hot water is taken from the bottom of the boiler and caused to pass to the center and to be distributed to the inside of the mass of clothes, while the same revolution of the cylinder takes up water and causes it to pass to the outside of the mass and thus the water acts upon the massin two, directions. The result of this double action is, as I have found in practice, to greatly quicken the work. It is also quickened and rendered m ore thorough by the reversal of the motion, which loosens the clothes, while the action of tlie'currents of water is the same. It is necessarypnly occasionally to reverse the movement when the clothing has become entangled or rolled up or massed and packed, and then the reverse movement disentangles and loosens them, permitting the steam and water to act freely and ef-' fectively.

The flattened form of the buckets affords a cheap construction and mode of fixing'to the sides of the cylinder. They are formed out of a single piece of semicircular sheet metal, made concave, and soldered or otherwise fastened at the edge. In this form they occupy but little room.

The guard f serves another purpose besides that described. The back or inner surface forms a ridge on which the clothes rest, and are thus held up from the periphery and caused to turn. This is further accomplished by radial flanges l, placed about midway between the guards f. These and the guards effectively hold the clothes up from the periphery, and leave the water free access from the outside through the openings underneath the guard.

It will be understood that the cylinder is divided, a segment, E. being hinged to the other part and provided with a spring or other catch. m, so that the clothes may be introduced and the cylinder securely closed.

I have shown a boiler or box of rectangular form for holding the cylinder and water, but I may use the cylinder in any convenient form of vessel. If designed to be set upon the stove but it may be used to contain water heated in another vessel, and for this use wood is a suita- 5 5 ble material. In awooden box the water may be kepthot by means of steam introduced from an ordinary boiler, but usually this is not necessary, the machine being capable of thoroughly washing the clothes in water once heated. The amount of water needed is very small, as the buckets and openings take up the water from the bottom. This is an especially valuable feature when the box is placed over the fire and the water heated thereby. The buckets and openings then take the water nearest the bottom and therefore hottest.

The cylinder may be made of tin wholly, or the sides may be made of wood. The radial channels serve, incidentally, to strengthen the but slow turning, and as it does not operate by 7 5 rubbing it does not tear or wear the clothing.

What I claim is- 1. In a rotary washing-machine,the combination, with a suitable box or boiler for containing water, of a cylinder fitted to revolve therein, said cylinder being provided with a central perforated tube, and with openings in the periphery to admit water to the outside of the mass, and with side buckets and channels connected therewith and communicating with the central perforated tube, all substantially as described.

2. The combination, in the revolving cylinder of a washing-machine, of the central tube and the duplicate sets of channels and buckets arranged on opposite sides and facing in opposite directions, as set forth. V

3. The combination, in the cylinder provided with openings in its periphery, of the doublyinclined guards, the two sets of buckets and 5 channels facing in opposite directions, and the central distributing-tube, substantially as 'described.

In testimony whereofI have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two sub- 10o scribing witnesses.

LOUIS F. DE VOE.

Witnesses:

J OSEPHUS STANFIELD, J AS. A. EARHART. 

